Description
This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe delivers tender, flavorful beef in just 30 minutes, making it better than takeout. Served over your choice of rice or quinoa, it’s a quick and delicious meal packed with savory garlic and ginger, a thickened sweet-savory sauce, and crisp-tender broccoli.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Beef and Sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, Tamari or coconut aminos
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
- 1/2 cup water or beef broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or cornstarch
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
Vegetables and Toppings
- 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
- 4 stalks green onions
- Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce (optional for topping)
For Serving
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa, white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice
Instructions
- Cook the grain: Prepare your choice of quinoa, brown rice, white rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice according to package instructions and set aside.
- Prep the beef: Cut the flank steak into thin slices against the grain to ensure tenderness and set aside.
- Sear the beef: Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat olive or sesame oil until shimmering. In 2-3 batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the steak slices for 1-2 minutes per side until browned. Remove the beef after each batch to prevent steaming.
- Make the sauce: While searing the beef, whisk together soy sauce (or alternative), minced garlic, grated ginger, and water or beef broth.
- Pressure cook: Once all the beef is seared, cancel sauté mode and pour the sauce mixture over the beef in the Instant Pot. Lock the lid, seal the pressure valve, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Allow 5-7 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the timer begins.
- Prepare thickener slurry: While cooking, whisk cornstarch or tapioca starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.
- Release pressure and add broccoli: Carefully do a quick release of the pressure valve, using a dish towel to protect from steam if desired. Remove the lid, then add the slurry mixture, honey, and chopped broccoli to the pot.
- Thicken sauce and steam broccoli: Return the pot to sauté mode and stir frequently until the sauce thickens and broccoli is bright green and tender crisp, about 4-6 minutes. For thicker sauce, mix an additional tablespoon of starch with water and sauté another minute.
- Serve: Plate the Mongolian beef and broccoli over your cooked grain of choice. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce for added heat.
Notes
- Sear beef first to develop deep caramelized flavors and avoid steaming the meat.
- Slice beef thinly against the grain to maintain tenderness and prevent chewiness.
- Fresh garlic and ginger brighten and enhance the sauce flavor significantly.
- Use a 1:1 starch-to-water slurry to perfectly thicken the sauce without lumps.
- Steam broccoli just until bright green and crisp-tender to retain texture and nutrients.
- You can substitute flank steak with skirt steak or sirloin for similar results.
- For lower sodium, use coconut aminos or a low-sodium soy sauce alternative.
- If you prefer, use beef broth instead of water for more savory depth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
